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Buck and Tommy have been dating for a couple of months now, and Eddie has just realized that he is gay and in love with his best friend. It’s not like Eddie hasn’t been in love with Buck for seven years, but he's just realized what that means.
The man saved his sons life and Eddie’s life multiple times and somehow not once did Eddie realize his feelings until Buck came out as bisexual and is taken by a ugly ass ogre who doesnt dervere Buck, but it’s not like Eddie does either.
The only person he has told about his discovery is Chris because Eddie told Chris he would stop keeping lies from him, and Chris took it surprisingly well, so well that he made Eddie promise that if Chris came back to LA, Eddie had to tell Buck about his feelings. (That wasn’t the only reason; Chris did want to come home, that was just a bonus.)
So Eddie did promise that in the near future he would tell Buck about his feelings, but not until he and Tommy broke up because that would be unfair to Buck to drop that bomb on him.
The difference between Eddie and Tommy is that Eddie knew Buck better than anyone else did. He knew that Buck hated pickles but would still get them on his food so Eddie could steal them, and he knew that Buck only does chores on weekdays, so during the weekend he can rest or pick up extra shifts. Eddie knew that anytime Chimney pranks Buck, he goes along with it so Chimney is happy. He knows that he has dinner with Athena and Bobby on Wednesday because that's the only day that they usually have off, and because May and Harry have dinner with them on Mondays and sometimes Fridays.
The point is Eddie knows Buck and Buck knows Eddie, that's why they work so well together.
So now here Eddie is sitting at the counter staring at Buck while he kicks Chimney’s ass in mario kart but still letting him win a couple rounds.
“How long are you going to mop around?” Bobby asked from the stove, and Hen sat on the stool next to him with a raised eyebrow.
“I don’t know what you're talking about.” He says with his eyebrows raised to his forehead and takes a sip of his coffee.
“You know exactly what Bobby is talking about.” Hen chimes in.
“You know you are going to have to tell him at some point, you need to stop moping around like a kicked puppy.”
“Wow, Bobby, tell me how you really feel.”
“I just did.”
“Whatever, I can’t tell him,” Eddie states
“Why not?” Hen asked while she rounds the counter to pour her cup in the sink and stands next to Bobby.
“Because he's happy with Tommy, I can’t ruin that.”
“You believe he would be happier with Tommy than you, you're like 10 times better than that man.”
“Didn’t know you felt that way, Hen,” he chuckles.
“Look, Buck and you are my friends, Tommy is someone we used to work with, he's not exactly my favorite person.”
“You and me both, I never liked the way he treated you and Chimney I’m glad he left but know hes back and the only one that can fix that his you.” Bobby points the spoon he's holding to Eddie, who rolls his eyes.
“Once he and Tommy break up I’ll tell him,”
“And what if you're too late, you know how Buck is, what if he jumps into things and asks Tommy to move in or something?”
“He wouldn’t do that.” Eddie knew he probably would because he would get scared that Tommy was leaving at some point and jump into things, but if Eddie told himself Buck wouldn’t do that, then he wouldn’t, right?
*****
So Eddie was wrong because the next conversation he had with Buck in Buck’s apartment and on his couch was Buck telling him that Tommy asked to move in together.
“I don’t know what to do Eddie.”
Honestly, Eddie didn’t know either because he was still in shock at what Buck had just told him. Once he snapped back, he couldn’t quite read the look Buck had on his face.
“Umm… well, what do you want to do?”
“I don’t know I like him, I do, but this is the point in the relationship where I mess it up.” Buck confesses.
“Buck, I think you need to set that aside and ask yourself if moving in with Tommy would make you happy.” Eddie rests his hand on Buck's knee and squeezes it.
“I mean, he makes me happy a lot, but there are moments when I just don’t know if he feels the same as I do.”
“Buck the man asked you to move in and if he didn’t feel the same, he’s crazy.”
“You’ve said that already.”
“I have because it’s true, if he doesn’t see you for who you are, then he’s an idiot.”
“You really think I should?”
“I think you should listen to your heart.” At this point, Eddie was just trying to keep the tears at bay, and if he let one slip when Buck hugged him, that was no one's business but his own.
*****
Ever since that conversation Buck had been over at Eddie’s house everyday and everyday he was complaining about something Tommy did that pissed him off and Eddie would be lying if he said he didn’t have a smile on his face.
Monday it was Tommy cancelled on Buck to go out for drinks with his team and when Buck asked to go with he made up an excuse saying that they were going to be out late and Buck had a early shift, but Buck did not have a shift and went over to Eddie’s instead and stayed the night.
Tuesday, Tommy was spamming his phone all day while at work cause he wanted to see him, so Buck had to turn his phone off at some point and told Tommy his phone died.
Wednsday Tommy was mad because Buck was going over to Bobby and Athena’s house for dinner like he always have for 7 fucking years, and of coarse Tommy didn’t care and guilt tripped Buck into not going.
It’s now Thursday and it was suppose to be a normal call to a fender bender when one of the drivers got pissed off at Buck and punched him in the nose, Buck tackled him to the ground and yes Eddie thought that was hot till Buck got up and he had blood all over his face.
Eddie went with him to the hospital, of course, and luckily he didn’t have a broken nose, but it was close. Eddie called Tommy, but he didn’t pick up, and Eddie gets it he’s a first responder too you can’t always answer your phone, but Tommy wasn’t on shift, least thats what Buck told him, but later that night he got a text from Tommy saying he was.
Buck stayed with Eddie that night, and he tried to argue with Eddie when he told him he was sleeping on the bed and not the couch, but Eddie won the argument.
*****
When he woke up he had a 6-foot blonde lying on his chest. He smiled to himself because this felt right, it felt good to wake up next to Buck, then he remembered that Buck is not his to wake up to, and he’s moving in with Tommy soon.
Eddie quickly got out of bed, careful not to wake the blonde, and he grabbed some clothes and took a shower. When he got out, he heard the coffee maker in the kitchen and followed the noise.
And there he was with his back facing Eddie, looking out the window with a cup of coffee in his hands, and Eddie wanted that. He wanted to wake up in the morning next to Buck, and he wanted to walk into the kitchen and find him making breakfast for their son that they had been raising together since Eddie joined the LAFD. Then Eddie blurted it out.
“I love you.”
Now that got Bucks' attention, he spun around and looked Eddie dead in the eye, and they stood there for a minute until Buck spoke up.
“What?”
“God okay, um so that's not how I wanted to tell you but here we are.” Eddie took a step forward trying to find a way to say this.
“I love you and to be honest, that's the first time I've said it out loud and I definitely didn’t mean to say it like that, but I’m in love with you and I have been for a while.” Eddie could see the gears turning in Buck's head, and before Eddie could let him speak, he started rambling again.
“I know you, I know you that you don’t like pickles and you love olives and that I love pickles and hate olives, so when you get pickles you give them to me and when I get olives I give them to you because that's just how we work. We are partners at work and outside of work because we know each other, and I hate how I’ve had to listen for the past months, you complain about Tommy not knowing you.” He took a deep breath and continued before Buck could open up his mouth.
“I hated having to listen about someone else that you love that knows nothing about you, I mean the man bought you Lakers tickets and you don’t even like basketball, he always gives you weird looks when you talk about the latest deep dive you did but I love listening to you talk and if I could spend my days just listening to you talk and talk I would because I love that about you and I love hearing your voice, but Tommy doesnt see you the way I see you and he doesn’t deserve you, hell I don’t either but you deserve to be with someone that loves you for who you are and I do.”
“I know I have no say and that you and Tommy are moving in together, and this is unfair of me to spring this on you, but please, Buck, please do not move in with that man. You already have a family you have me and Chris and we love being a part of your family because you are worth it, you are worth every damn thing Evan Buckley and I love you.” He hadn’t realized he was crying till he felt tears on his face, and he quickly reached up to wipe them away.
Eddie was looking at Buck that whole time, and he looked like he was crying too, but before he could even think, he pulled Buck into a kiss.
He was about to pull back until Bucks lips started moving with his, and he deepened the kiss.
When they pulled back to breathe in air, he rested his forehead on Bucks, and when he opened his eyes, Bucks were staring back at him. Then he realized he had just kissed Buck while Buck is still in a relationship.
Eddie pulled back with wide eyes, “I just kissed a married man,” and now that Eddie said it, it didn’t make any sense whatsoever.
“Eddie, I’m not married.” Buck chuckled
“Yeah, I know, but I just kissed a man who is in a relationship!”
“Hey, it’s okay, I’m not in a relationship anymore.”
Now Eddie was really confused, “What do you mean, what about Tommy?”
“While you were asleep last night, I texted Tommy and broke up with him because I realized I was with the wrong person.”
“I’m hoping this other person is me?” he said with a shy grin on his face.
“Yes, that would be you.” he leaned in to kiss him again.
*****
10 years later
“Belle, April, we need to get going so we can see grandma and grandpa!” Buck was busy getting ready to go to Bobby and Athena's for Belle and April’s 13th birthday. It had been 10 years since Buck and Eddie got married and 9 years since they adopted the twins at the age of 4.
“We have to be there in 30 minutes and don’t forget about LA traffic.” He yelled, knocking on Belle’s door
“She’s almost ready, just finding some shoes to wear,” April said, answering the door and pulling it open to show Belle destroying her closet trying to find a good pair of shoes.
“Dad, I need your help. I don’t know what shoes to wear.” She looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“Hey, look at me okay,” Buck said and put his hands on her shoulders, “There is no reason to be stressed out, it’s okay, I will help you.” Belle nodded her head.
“April, can you feed Dumper? You know he gets grumpy if we don’t feed him on time.” Dumper was a black cat that they found and kept when the girls were little.
When they found him, he was in a dumpster, and so they called him Dumpster, but Belle had a hard time saying her S’s, so they changed his name to Dumper cause it was easier for her.
“Yep on it,” April yelled back with a thumbs up when she started walking to the kitchen.
“Okay, so let's see.” Buck started going through her shoes to see what would match with her black leggings and one of Eddie’s old LAFD sweatshirts. Belle never liked to dress up for things that was more April’s thing, which who can blame her.
“What about your Nike Dunks they are the same color as your sweatshirt.” he held them up.
“I forgot I had those, they should work, thanks dad.”
“Me and April are going to wait in the car, take your time, and lock the door behind you.”
“Okay, I’ll be out in a minute.”
*****
When they arrived at the Grant-Nash, Eddie arrived at the same time with Chris because he had just gotten him from the airport. The girls ran up to Chris and tackled him in a hug, and Buck greeted Eddie with a kiss.
“Hey baby, how was the airport?”
“It wasn’t too bad actually Chris caught me up on all the college drama.”
“I bet he did, we better get inside before mom comes out here.”
“Speak of the devil,” Eddie said looking at the door where Athena was standing with her hands on her hips.
“Get your asses in here before I drag you in here myself.” She was giving her sergeant look.
“Yes ma’ma, girls, Chris lets go!” They started running towards the door where Athena was waiting.
“Evan Buckley, do not call me ma’ma you make me sound old,” she stated
“Buckley-Diaz.” He corrected, then saw the look on her face, “Sorry Mom,” he laughed
“Much better.”
When they got inside, they were greeted by the rest of the 118 and the rest of their family outside of the 118.
“Happy Birthday Girls!!”
Hugs and kisses were shared until everyone was outside, and Buck was leaning against the door when he felt hands wrap around his waist.
“If you aren’t my husband, I’d back off,” he said jokingly, knowing it was Eddie.
“Well, good thing it is me.” He chuckled, burying his face into his neck. “Whatcha thinkin about hmm?” He hummed.
“Oh, nothing, just taking in view the.”
“Yeah, I think we have a pretty perfect family.”
“I would have to agree."